Snape Lives
by lilsnape
Summary: Snape survived Nagini's bite and is now living as a Muggle. What will Harry find as he checks up on his ex-Professor?
1. Chapter 1

Snape Lives

Harry Potter watched from his carefully concealed piece of shade delivered by a hundred year oak tree. To anyone else, who didn't know what they were looking at; it was a typical sunny afternoon in the park where a father was watching his son run around a playground, occasionally looking up from his book to offer a note of caution to the little boy. What people didn't know, especially in this quaint Muggle town, was that the man sitting on that weather worn bench was a war hero, someone who had given the majority of his adult life working against one of the deadliest wizards in history.

They had all assumed Severus Snape was dead after that fatal blow to the neck delivered from Nagini, what with all the blood loss, but apparently the entire wizarding world didn't know the Potions Master at all. They should have expected he would have been prepared for every possible outcome and prepared contingency plans A, B, C and D. No one knew how he had survived, but very few even knew he was alive, which was undoubtedly what he wanted. If he wanted to be a part of the wizarding world, he would have been awarded the title of hero, but the Potions Master never seemed one to enjoy the recognition that came with fame. That fame was probably one of the main reasons he was living in the Muggle world, literally and figuratively, a world away from the upheaval still being felt in the wizarding world.

Harry simply stood and observed the scene, not wanting to draw attention to himself; it wasn't his purpose to reveal to Snape he was being watched. No, he simply wanted to make sure the man who had inconspicuously helped him defeat Voldemort was happy in his new life. The man certainly looked content; his hair was cut close to his scalp and a speckling of gray hairs were popping up, he didn't look as gaunt as the last time Harry saw him, and his skin didn't seem as opaque. His eyes were as sharp as ever, evident when the little boy with him would have a balance issue on the playground and he would prepare his hand to grab his wand in case he needed to cast a quick spell.

The little boy, Harry could only assume, was Snape's son. He couldn't imagine Snape volunteering to watch someone's child. "Snape the babysitter" just didn't seem right. The boy looked a lot like his father; jet black hair, trimmed just as close to his little head as his fathers, dark eyes and a slim build. The child wasn't as pale as his father and he didn't appear to have the hooked nose his father displayed. He seemed quite jovial, laughing and running as if he had an endless supply of energy.

Harry watched as the little boy ran over to his seated guardian, waiting patiently until his father had closed the book and looked up. The little boy had asked his father a question and gave a wide smile while he bounced up and down in excitement. Snape simply nodded and stood as his son ran towards the set of swings on the opposite end of the playground. The elder man crossed the distance to the swings in a few quick strides; his son already climbing into the seat waiting for a push with his little legs swinging in anticipation. Snape grabbed the chains and gave a light push, sending the boy soaring into the sky laughing in delight. His giggles filled the air as he received another push. Harry couldn't help but smile when he saw his ex-professor twitch his lips in amusement.

After a few minutes of swinging, Snape slowed the little boy down and spoke a few words to him. The little boy ran up the stairs of the tall slide and waiting until his father was at the end before he took the plunge back down to the ground. His skinny arms were in the air as he slid down the plastic blue slide, expecting his father to catch him. Snape bent, swept up the little boy and flung him over his shoulder. He walked to the sidewalk with his kicking child, before he set the boy down.

The dark haired child didn't protest leaving the playground, but as soon as his feet hit the pavement he reached up for his father's hand. They walked hand in hand, the small boy skipping beside his straight-backed father. Before they rounded the corner on the way home, Harry caught one last glimpse of Snape the father. The boy had bent down to look at something on the cement and looked up in question to his father. Snape knelt down and peered at whatever was on the ground, Harry being too far away to see what that object was, and gave an explanation. The boy was intrigued by the answer and nodded in understanding. Snape took the boy's hand, stood back up and they continued their journey home.

Harry smiled as he watched them turn the bend in the road and couldn't help the heavy feeling of envy invade his chest. Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, was jealous of a little boy and for a second wished Snape could have been his father instead.

A/N:

Thanks to Mak for being my beta all these years and humoring me when something like this pops into my head.

For now this is a one-shot, but Mak suggested I make it a multi-chapter story. Let me know what you think and I'll consider writing more. Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

Snape Lives – Chapter 2

Harry couldn't help himself, it was almost like an addiction, and the need to come back to the park had overwhelmed him. He wasn't sure why he was driven to return, but he wanted to witness more of this complex man. This "father" Snape was the polar opposite of the strict Potions Master Harry had been accustomed to. Looking at him in this environment was hard to reconcile him with the man Harry thought he knew.

Snape was again seated at the bench on the edge of the playground watching as his son jumped from one playground apparatus to the next. There was a slight breeze in the air, signaling the beginning of autumn.

"Daddy?" a little voice rang out.

"Yes, Ethan?" Snape queried, as he looked up from his book to eye his son who was standing near the high monkey bars.

"Will you help me?" he pleaded, as he tried to jump as high as his little legs could as if to prove to his father that the monkey bars were indeed too high for him to reach.

Snape simply nodded and closed his book, leaving it on the bench next to his son's jacket. By the time he made it to the monkey bars, Ethan was climbing up the two bars to ready himself. Snape stood in front of the little boy who tentatively raised his arms.

"No tickl'n'," he said with a miniature scowl of his father's well known expression.

Snape simply chuckled and replied casually, "Yes, son."

Satisfied with his father's response, he looked up and lifted his arms upward as Snape grasped his sides and lifted him up. Little fingers closed around the metal bars and he swayed side to side adjusting his grip. He let go with one hand and grasped the next bar as Snape took a slight step backwards keeping a firm, non-ticklish grip on his son. Ethan moved slowly forward almost to the end of the monkey bars when he said, "Okay, let me go."

"Are you sure?" Snape asked.

"Uh-huh," the little boy replied, as he focused his gaze upward onto the bars.

Snape slowly loosened his grip until he wasn't holding on to his son, but his hands stayed in the ready position, hovering close to his son's body. Ethan kicked his legs a little to gain some momentum and reached out with one hand to grab the last bar. His reach wasn't as far without the help of his father so his fingers only grazed the bar. Seeing his son's struggle, Snape dropped one hand and grasped his ankle to give him that extra inch when he swung back to the bar. He smiled brightly at his accomplishment and laughed. "I did it!" he exclaimed.

"Yes, you did. Good job." Snape beamed.

Ethan let go of a bar and quickly grasped the last bar. "Okay, Dad," he said, with relief in his voice.

Snape grabbed him again but this time he tickled the boy's sides, who immediately let go of the bars and coiled himself into a ball in hopes of avoiding more tickling. The older man simply smiled and slipped one arm under his son and continued tickling the flailing, but laughing little boy with his other hand.

"Stop! Stop!" the little boy yelled as he gripped one of his father's hands in both of his tiny hands. Snape finally relented and shifted the boy to his hip as he walked back to the bench. Ethan sighed and laid his head on his father's shoulder as he tried to regain his normal breathing pattern.

Snape set the boy down on the ground and grabbed his small green jacket. "Jacket," Snape said, as he held it open for his son to put his arms through the holes. After a minute of jostling to get the jacket on, Ethan grabbed his father's hand and off they went down the path.

"Daddy?" the little boy asked, as he looked up.

"Yes?" Snape replied.

"Can we get ice cream?"

"Recite your ABC's and we'll see," Snape answered with a smirk.

As they walked farther away Harry only heard the voice of a little boy trying his hardest to remember all of his ABC's.

A/N:

Thanks to Mak for being my beta all these years and humoring me when something like this pops into my head.

After some feedback, it continues. Next up, Harry watches as Ethan plays with some pals and maybe someone new makes an appearance. Guess who?


End file.
